Weddings

Loading
loading...

Weddings

February 29, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
, , , , , , , , ,
No Comments

“Marriage is a duel to the death

which no man should decline”

— G.K. Chesterton

“Wedded” 1882 Lord Frederic Leighton

…”Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up;

but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!…

– Ecclesiastes 4:9

University of Michigan Botanical Gardens

Vanderbilt University | Davidson County Tennessee

University of Rochester New York

University of Minnesota | Hennepin County

 

Oxford University

University of Chicago | Cook County

 

Vanderbilt University | Davidson County Tennessee

 

Saginaw Valley State University | Saginaw County Michigan

More

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” — Genesis 2:24

Sacred Spaces

Sacred Space Standards

International Building Code §303.3 Assembly Group A-2 

Evensong “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”

 

Edge Case: Leap Year

February 29, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
,
No Comments

Date & Time: Representations For Information Interchange

Programming languages face several challenges when dealing with leap years, primarily because leap years don’t follow a simple pattern and can vary depending on the calendar system being used.  Some of the challenges include:

Algorithm Complexity: Writing algorithms to accurately determine leap years can be complex due to the various rules governing leap years in different calendar systems. For instance, the Gregorian calendar, which is the most widely used calendar system, has different rules than other systems like the Julian calendar.

Handling Calendar Systems: Some programming languages have built-in libraries or functions to handle leap years, but they may not support all calendar systems. Developers need to ensure that the language’s built-in functions or libraries accurately handle leap years according to the desired calendar system.

Cross-Platform Consistency: Different platforms and programming languages may implement leap year calculations differently, leading to inconsistencies when working with date and time data across different systems.

Localization: Some calendar systems used in various regions have different rules for leap years. Programming languages may need to support localization to handle these differences accurately.

Performance: Implementing leap year calculations efficiently can be challenging, especially when dealing with large datasets or frequent date/time manipulations. Optimizing leap year calculations for performance without sacrificing accuracy is important in high-performance applications.

To address these challenges, programmers often rely on built-in date and time libraries provided by programming languages or use third-party libraries specifically designed to handle calendar-related calculations accurately and efficiently. Additionally, thorough testing and validation of date-related logic are essential to ensure correctness, especially in critical applications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Python, leap years can be accounted for using the calendar module or by writing custom logic. The calendar module provides a function called isleap() to check if a given year is a leap year.

Here’s an example of how you can use the calendar module to check if a year is a leap year:

python

import calendar

year = 2024

if calendar.isleap(year):
print(f”{year} is a leap year.”)
else:
print(f”{year} is not a leap year.”)

Alternatively, you can write custom logic to determine if a year is a leap year. The logic for determining leap years is as follows:

    1. If a year is evenly divisible by 4, it is a leap year.
    2. However, if the year is evenly divisible by 100, it is not a leap year, unless:
    3. The year is also evenly divisible by 400, in which case it is a leap year.

Here’s an example of how you can implement this logic in Python without using the calendar module:

python
def is_leap_year(year):
if year % 4 == 0:
if year % 100 == 0:
if year % 400 == 0:
return True
else:
return False
else:
return True
else:
return False
year = 2024if is_leap_year(year):
print(f”{year} is a leap year.”)
else:
print(f”{year} is not a leap year.”)
Both approaches will correctly determine whether a given year is a leap year or not.

 

Standards February: Discovery & Invention

February 29, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

“Science advances one funeral at a time”
— Max Planck

you shall above all things be glad and young For if you're young,whatever life you wear it will become you;and if you are glad whatever's living will yourself become. - e. e. cummingsPhilosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica | 1686 Sir Issaac Newton

A Mathematical Theory of Communication | 1948 Claude E. Shannon (University of Michigan)

Image: Christopher Newport University

1955 Polio Vaccine: Jonas Salk (University of Michigan)

Reflections / John Nash

The Future of Cosmology | Roger Penrose

A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid | James Watson & Francis Crick

Quantum Information Science


Sir Isaac Newton’s Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

“One teacher even failed me in Chemistry” Tomas Lindahl

Discovery of Receptors for Temperature and Touch

Speculative Prices, Inflation & Behavioral Economics


The fundamental concept in social science is Power, in the same sense in which Energy is the fundamental concept in physics. - Bertrand Russell

Time Series Analysis, Cointegration and Applications


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Steam Engine: The invention of the steam engine in the 18th century by pioneers like James Watt revolutionized industry, transportation, and agriculture, powering factories, locomotives, and ships and driving the Industrial Revolution.

The Internal Combustion Engine: The development of the internal combustion engine in the 19th century revolutionized transportation and manufacturing, leading to the proliferation of automobiles, airplanes, and machinery that powered economic growth and globalization.

The Internet: Originating from research projects in the late 20th century, the internet has become a fundamental infrastructure for communication, commerce, education, and entertainment, connecting billions of people worldwide and enabling unprecedented access to information and resources.

Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits: The invention of semiconductors and integrated circuits in the mid-20th century paved the way for the digital revolution, enabling the miniaturization and mass production of electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, and microprocessors.

Agriculture: The transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled agriculture marked the beginning of civilization and allowed for the development of permanent settlements, leading to population growth, specialization of labor, and the emergence of complex societies.

The Wheel: Invented around 3500 BCE, the wheel revolutionized transportation, enabling the movement of goods and people over long distances and laying the foundation for subsequent advancements in engineering and machinery.

Writing: The development of writing systems, such as cuneiform in Mesopotamia and hieroglyphs in Egypt, facilitated the recording and dissemination of information, contributing to the preservation of knowledge, governance, and cultural expression.

Martingale Representation Theorem

Time Synchronization of Medium Voltage Substations

February 29, 2024
jia
, , ,
No Comments

 

Time Synchronization of Medium Voltage Substation IEDs Using Modbus and Python

Joseph Owusu, et. al

 

Abstract:  Energy demand and supply all over the world is increasing in size and complexity. Anomalous conditions caused by failures in electrical components, human errors and environmental conditions result in electrical faults that can interrupt electricity flow. Substation automation requires precise time synchronization for a variety of Intelligent Electronic Devices for fault diagnosis. The quest for accurate and sequential time stamping of events compels power utility companies to adopt various techniques of time synchronization with an accuracy of a millisecond or a microsecond. Some works adopt the use of time synchronization techniques using protocols such as Network Time Protocol, Precision Time protocol, Simple Network Time Protocol and many more. This work presents time synchronization of IEDs using Modbus protocol and python programming language for a local substation. The system records the output data into a database and displays it on an application software. The time synchronization system was successful alternative for off network systems.

 

Related:

Time Synchronization in the Electric Power System

Design Standard Readability

February 29, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
, ,
No Comments

Fry readability formula

How Consistent Are the Best-Known Readability Equations in Estimating the Readability of Design Standards?

Shixiang Zhou & Heejin Jeong
Industrial and Operations Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Transportation Research Institute Driver Interface Group
Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

 

Abstract.  Research problem: Readability equations are widely used to compute how well readers will be able to understand written materials. Those equations were usually developed for nontechnical materials, namely, textbooks for elementary, middle, and high schools. This study examines to what extent computerized readability predictions are consistent for highly technical material – selected Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and International Standards Organization (ISO) Recommended Practices and Standards relating to driver interfaces. Literature review: A review of original sources of readability equations revealed a lack of specific criteria in counting various punctuation and text elements, leading to inconsistent readability scores. Few studies on the reliability of readability equations have identified this problem, and even fewer have systematically investigated the extent of the problem and the reasons why it occurs.  Research questions:

(1) Do the most commonly used equations give identical readability scores?
(2) How do the scores for each readability equation vary with readability tools?
(3) If there are differences between readability tools, why do they occur?
(4) How does the score vary with the length of passage examined?

Method: Passages of varying lengths from 12 selected SAE and ISO Recommended Practices and Standards were examined using five readability equations (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG Index, Coleman-Liau Index, and Automated Readability Index) implemented five ways (four online readability tools and Microsoft Word 2013 for Windows). In addition, short test passages of text were used to understand how different readability tools counted text elements, such as words and sentences. Results and conclusions: The mean readability scores of the passages from those 12 SAE and ISO Recommended Practices and Standards ranged from the 10th grade reading level to about 15th. The mean grade reading levels computed across the websites were: Flesch-Kincaid 12.8, Gunning Fog 15.1 SMOG 12.6, Coleman-Liau 13.7, and Automated Readability Index 12.3. Readability score estimates became more consistent as the length of the passage examined increased, with no noteworthy improvements beyond 900 words. Among the five readability tools, scores typically differed by two grade levels, but the scores should have been the same. These differences were due to how compound and hyphenated words, slashes, numbers, abbreviations and acronyms, and URLs were counted, as well other punctuation and text elements. These differences occurred because the sources for these equations often did not specify how to score various punctuation and text elements. Of the tools examined, the authors recommend Microsoft Word 2013 for Windows if the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level is required.

 

Security 200

February 28, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
,
No Comments

 

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow,

yet we forget that he is someone today.”

– Stacia Tauscher

 

Today we run a status check on the stream of technical and management standards evolving to assure the highest possible level of security in education communities.  The literature expands significantly from an assortment of national standards-setting bodies, trade associations, ad hoc consortia and open source standards developers.  CLICK HERE for a sample of our work in this domain.

School security is big business in the United States.   According to a report by Markets and Markets, the global school and campus security market size was valued at USD 14.0 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 21.7 billion by 2025, at a combined annual growth rate of 7.2% during the forecast period.  Another report by Research And Markets estimates that the US school security market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 8% between 2020 and 2025, driven by factors such as increasing incidents of school violence, rising demand for access control and surveillance systems, and increasing government funding for school safety initiatives.

Because the pace of the combined annual growth rate of the school and campus security market is greater than the growth rate of the education “industry” itself, we’ve necessarily had to break down our approach to this topic into modules:

Security 100.   A survey of all the technical and management codes and standards for all educational settings — day care, K-12, higher education and university affiliated healthcare occupancies.

Security 200.   Queries into the most recent public consultations on the components and interoperability* of supporting technologies

Video surveillance: indoor and outdoor cameras, cameras with night vision and motion detection capabilities and cameras that can be integrated with other security systems for enhanced monitoring and control.

Access control: doors, remote locking, privacy and considerations for persons with disabilities.

Panic alarms: These devices allow staff and students to quickly and discreetly alert authorities in case of an emergency.

Metal detectors: These devices scan for weapons and other prohibited items as people enter the school.

Mass notification systems: These systems allow school administrators to quickly send emergency alerts and notifications to students, staff, and parents.

Intrusion detection systems: These systems use sensors to detect unauthorized entry and trigger an alarm.

GPS tracking systems: These systems allow school officials to monitor the location of school buses and track the movements of students during field trips and other off-campus activities.

Security 300.  Regulatory and management codes and standards; a great deal of which are self-referencing.

As always, we reckon first cost and long-term maintenance cost, including software maintenance for the information and communication technologies (i.e. anything with wires) installed in the United States.  Cybersecurity is outside our wheelhouse and beyond our expertise.  In order to do any of the foregoing reasonably well, we have to leave cybersecurity standards to others.

Bob Hope Primary School Kadena Air Base

 


Education Community Safety catalog is one of the fast-growing catalogs of best practice literature.  In developing district security plans, K-12 school leaders stress that school safety is a cross-functional responsibility and every individual’s participation drives the success of overall safety protocols.  We link a small sample below and update ahead of every Security colloquium.

Artificial Intelligence Tries (and Fails) to Detect Weapons in School

Could AI be the future of preventing school shootings?

Executive Order 13929 of June 16, 2020 Safe Policing for Safe Communities

Clery Act

National Center for Education Statistics: School Safety and Security Measures

International Code Council

2021 International Building Code

Section 1010.1.9.4 Locks and latches

Section 1010.2.13 Delayed egress.

Section 1010.2.14 Controlled egress doors in Groups I-1 and I-2.

Free Access: NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code

Free Access: NFPA 731 Standard for the Installation of Premises Security Systems

IEEE: Design and Implementation of Campus Security System Based on Internet of Things

APCO/NENA 2.105 Emergency Incident Data Document 

C-TECC Tactical Emergency Casualty Care Guidelines

Department of Transportation Emergency Response Guidebook 2016

NENA-STA-004.1-2014 Next Generation United States Civic Location Data Exchange Format

Example Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness Plan (Tougaloo College,  Jackson, Mississippi)

Partner Alliance for Safer Schools

Federal Bureau of Investigation Academia Program

Most Dangerous Universities in America

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Uniform Crime Reporting Program

ICYMI: Guide to Campus Security


* Interoperability refers to the ability of different technologies or systems to communicate and work together seamlessly. In the context of school security technologies, interoperability can help improve the effectiveness of security systems and make it easier for school personnel to manage and respond to potential security threats.  Here’s what we look for:

  1. Standardization: By standardizing communication protocols and data formats, school security technologies can be made more compatible with each other, making it easier for different systems to communicate and share information.
  2. Integration: School security technologies can be integrated with each other to provide a more comprehensive security solution. For example, access control systems can be integrated with video surveillance systems to automatically trigger alerts when an unauthorized person enters a restricted area.
  3. Open Architecture: Open architecture solutions enable different security systems to be connected and communicate with each other regardless of their manufacturer or supplier. This approach makes it easier to integrate different technologies and avoid vendor lock-in.
  4. Cloud-based Solutions: Cloud-based security solutions can enable interoperability by providing a centralized platform for managing and monitoring different security systems. This approach can also simplify the deployment of security technologies across multiple locations.
  5. Collaboration: School security technology providers can work together to develop interoperability standards and best practices that can be adopted across the industry. Collaboration can help drive innovation and improve the effectiveness of security systems.

 

 

 

Ingress

February 28, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

We have shouted from the mountaintops — beginning in the 2002 National Electrical Code and later in the International Building Code — that “ingress” concepts (the opposite of the canonical term “egress”; meaning the way INTO a building during an emergency) should become part of the vocabulary when exploring best practice concepts for security in education settlements.

Alas, so far without success.  Evidently, the term “ingress” has been appropriated by a variant — accessibility — which re-directs the discussion toward the American with Disabilities Act?

What about people who are not disabled who seek to enter a building?

We cite a 1981 study, sponsored by what is now the National Institute of Standards and Technology — Crowd ingress to Places of Assembly: Summary and Proceedings of an Experts’ Workshop –– to enlighten understanding how ingress is different from the term access.

We maintain this topic on all of our Security related colloquia; hosted on days that appear on our CALENDAR.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Entrance door to Standards Michigan Ann Arbor office

Means of Egress

 

 

Guide to Premises Security

February 28, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

Library of Alexandria

NFPA 730 Guide to Premise Security guide describes construction, protection, occupancy features, and practices intended to reduce security vulnerabilities to life and property.  Related document — NFPA 731 Standard for the Installation of Electronic Premises Security Systems covers the application, location, installation, performance, testing, and maintenance of electronic premises security systems and their components.

The original University of Michigan standards advocacy enterprise (see ABOUT) began following the evolution of NFPA 730 and NFPA 731 since the 2008 Edition.   That enterprise began a collaboration  with trade associations and subject matter experts from other universities (notably Georgetown University and Evergreen State University) to advocate user-interest concepts in the 2011 edition.    A summary of advocacy action is summarized in the links below:

in the appeared in a trade association journal Facilities Manager:

APPA Code Talkers Anthony Davis Facility Manager May June 2011

An online presentation by Michael C. Peele (Georgetown University) — one of the voting members of NFPA 730 and NFPA 731 technical committees– was recorded and is linked below.

FREE ACCESS: 2023 Guide for Premises Security

FREE ACCESS: 2018 NFPA 730 Guide to Premise Security

Public comment on the First Draft of the 2026 Edition will be received until January 3, 2025.  You may key in your own ideas by clicking in to our user-interest Public Consultation Meeting Point or by communicating directly with the NFPA.

This title remains on the standing agenda of our Security colloquia.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Exploring technological preventive methods for school shootings

February 28, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Exploring technological preventive methods for school shootings

Kelechi M. Ikegwu – Evelyn Sowells – Howard Hardiman

Department of Computer Systems Technology, North Carolina A&T State University

 

ABSTRACT.  The horrific and tragic deaths that have resulted from infamous school shootings have deprived Americans of the sense of security in what has traditionally been a nurturing and safe environment. This paper will discuss different preventive methods for school shootings. The most current preventive methods are examined for fitness based on a variety of school shootings that have occurred in the past. Then a framework for a new school shooting protection device is proposed and evaluated. Concepts from computer vision, anomaly detection, and electromagnetic propulsion are discussed with respect to the proposed framework. Ideally, the goal of the framework presented in this paper is to prevent deaths and injuries from occurring during a school shooting. With the framework, an efficient and comparatively affordable preventive method could be released in the near future.

CLICK HERE to order complete paper

 

K-12 School Security

Layout mode
Predefined Skins
Custom Colors
Choose your skin color
Patterns Background
Images Background
Skip to content